Bill would make state put a price tag on school technology requirements

Saturday

May 10, 2014 at 12:01 AM

MIDDLEBORO — Thanks to a piece of legislation written by State Rep. Keiki Orrall (R-Lakeville) that recently passed a House vote, the state Department of Education might have to come up with a definitive price tag for school districts and taxpayers on what their needed technology upgrades will cost.

MIDDLEBORO — Thanks to a piece of legislation written by State Rep. Keiki Orrall (R-Lakeville) that recently passed a House vote, the state Department of Education might have to come up with a definitive price tag for school districts and taxpayers on what their needed technology upgrades will cost.

"This would be a huge win for taxpayers because towns and cities will have more information to help them understand what is coming, which is something they haven't had to this point," Rep. Orrall told The Gazette. "It needs to be clearly understood that the schools cannot absorb a new state rule that is all of a sudden going to impose a $500,000 hit on their budgets. If you're going to pass something, please let us know what it's going to cost us because we don't have the resources to all of a sudden come up with an infrastructure overhaul with possible ongoing costs for upgrades every so many years."

According to Rep. Orrall, the proposed Amendment #16 to Bill H.4000 came out of conversations she has had with educators and parents "who are overwhelmed."

"Between the new district determined measures, requirements for English Language Learner education, the new teacher evaluation system and with everything that comes along with PARCC on top of that, these people have a lot to have to think about and it can be very stressful," she said. "And parents are concerned at the lack of communication there's been about this test and the fact that there will be no data returned. They feel like they're just not getting anything from this."

The legislation is currently under review of the Senate.

To read the House bill's language, visit: malegislature.gov/Bills/188/House/H4000/Amendment/House/16/OriginalText.